This month Vice President Joe Biden addressed leaders at the World Economic Forum to discuss violence and discrimination against women. He asked these leaders to focus on cultural change within our society to end violence against women. Mr. Biden’s message is extremely important, and I am often asked how someone can help victims of domestic violence. I tell people they can help victims and survivors of domestic violence, by simply listening. This is how we all can reinforce cultural change. We need to listen to one another – listen to our peers – and listen to those affected by abuse. Above all we need to listen without judgment.
Mr. Biden commented, "When a woman is raped, when a woman is abused, the first thing other women ask is what did you do? Why were you there? What were you wearing?" he said. “Folks, all the opportunity and entrepreneurship in the world is good. But ultimately, starting in this country, we have to change the culture. And we’re not going to change that culture until not a single woman who is abused ever asks herself: 'What did I do?'"
These are not the questions we should ask or reflect on. We need to question why these implications arise in our culture, and then we need to ask if the victim is okay. We should ask why the perpetrator would commit such a heinous crime. We need to stop victim blaming, which is a huge obstacle to victims feeling safe enough to report a crime.
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